


Battle

by iluvaqt



Series: Avengers ABCs [2]
Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Gifts, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 12:30:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4606830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iluvaqt/pseuds/iluvaqt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sif has always known that she was destined for more than a life in the royal court. She dreamed of battle and fighting alongside Asgard's greatest warriors. What never figured into her plans was Loki and his jealousy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Battle

**Author's Note:**

> For Purple_Moon123, and with thanks for the edit.

Since she was a child, Sif knew the destiny expected of a woman of her birth status wasn't what she wanted for herself. Frigga, wise, noble and respected Queen of Asgard was grooming her to be a lady of the court but Sif longed for a different path.

Her brother was a guardian of the realm. How could she possibly settle for anything less than to be a champion and defender of Asgard?

As a most trusted and long serving advisor to the King, her parents had been blessed by Odin All-Father, when they told their King of their expected first born child. For Heimdall, his eyes had been gifted with special ability by Odin before his birth. When their parents presented her before The All-Father at the time of blessing following her birth, he said he foresaw greatness in her future and blessed her with beauty and wisdom. From that moment forward her mother would always say, you could always read her mood by her eyes. In the heat of battle or the height of anger, it was said they would be a green like glass. If she was worried they would be more honey hue with only flecks of green. And if she was of heavy heart, they would be like the muddy waters of the shallow lake that licked at the roots of the silver oak tree at her favorite whittling spot. She had always enjoyed carving and she had made many a gift from wooden objects crafted by her own hands.

When Sif had told her parents she wished to join the ranks of the soldiers of Asgard, her mother caught an attack of vapours and her father had looked like his face needed an extra ventilation point. His mouth and nose couldn't keep up with the vocal tirade he'd exploded into.

She had left home that day and did not return until she was sure that she would be accepted by the training academy. She'd been laughed off by the captains, so knowing he wouldn't turn her away on sight being her oldest friend, she enlisted Thor's help. He'd been doubtful and hesitant to aid her at first until she'd convinced him of how serious and determined she was. Persuaded by her passion and her courage, Thor offered to train her himself, and later he would offer her the services of his own mentors. Once she had Thor in her corner, no one dared to speak against her desire to train.

It was only obvious that his influence could only carry her so far, when the call to arms came. She would remain behind, while Asgard's warriors called to do battle.

Angered and disappointed, she would remain bitter for a week. Hence why she had spurned Loki's offer to escort her to the celebration feast when they returned. Not only did she believed his offer to be in jest. What could a prince of Asgard possibly want with her, she wasn't a proper Lady and worse still, she thought he might be asking at Thor's behest because of her disappointment at being considered unworthy for duty.

Never let it be said that Loki didn't have a nasty streak and a perverse sense of justice. Her once golden locks that rivalled the glittering spire of Asgard, he vanished them clean from her scalp never to be grown again.

The scream that she let loose the next morning had should have been enough to wake the entire Kingdom and heedless of the hour, she had stormed the palace with full intention to repay him in kind with naught but her skill with a straight edge blade.

Her hellion fury had her put down every guard that stood in her way as she charged to his chambers.

Thor didn't recognize her at first, no one did. And he made hasty pursuit noticing the guards she left in her wake.

Tearing out of bed, she had strapped on her armor and her helmet, ready to do bloody battle. Nothing and no, one would deter her from seeing Loki and punishing him most severely for his crime against her person.

Her enemy made no effort to hide his cowardly attack. He'd left a rose and a single lock of hair across her hair brush on her dresser, spelling out his name.

Sif kicked his door in and threw her helmet at his bed which went clean through the decoy illusion he'd left in his place. She whirled to face where he stood smirking.

"You will undo whatever it is you have done, Loki. Or so help you Odin, I will scar your handsome face that no woman will look upon you without shrieking foul."

Loki put his hands behind his back and regarded her, his face thoughtful. "So you think me handsome. Why ever did you dismiss my invitation?"

Sif gaped at him and lowered her sword in disbelief. She could hear a startled gasp and knew Thor had caught up to her and finally recognized whom he had been intent on clubbing with his Hammer. He stopped the guards approaching from the barracks from coming any closer. And waved them down. Cautiously they did as their prince commanded.

Leaving Sif and Loki in relative privacy, with Thor watching her carefully, should he need to intervene, from a respectful distance away. He knew his brother's words and mischief had gotten him into trouble many times before. Only it was the first time he wasn't ready to charge to his brother's aid. In this case, Thor believed he deserved his fate.

"You took my hair, because I denied you? I thought you were in jest? Why would you ask me? You've never asked before?"

Loki released his hands only to curl them into fists. "You were angered by Thor's empty promises of glorious battle and valiant position. I had the ear of my father just as much as he but you never came to me, never asked for my help. If you wished to join us so badly, I could have masked your presence and you could have joined the legion. Upon our return, I saw how disappointed you were in him and thought it my only opportunity to have you notice my position. What I could offer you, and you spurned my only attempt."

Sif paled at the virile in his voice and the bitterness that twisted and darkened the attractiveness of his face. She could make no apology because he was right. She had always dismissed Loki as the weaker Prince. He was gifted with magic but he wasn't a great fighter. He preferred to avoid a fight or physical exertion wherever possible.

When quiet fell over the room, Thor entered and looked from Sif to Loki. Already deducing who was to blame for this act of outrage in his normally, composed and graceful friend, Thor bellowed loudly enough to earn his name as Prince of Thunder.

"You will return the golden mantle of Lady Sif, or the All Father will hear of this transgression and I will ensure that you are punished with a judgement of the harshest penalty bar death and exile. This is well beyond mere trickery and jest, brother. You shame yourself and our family with what you've done."

Loki looked at her and she could actually see honest regret in his eyes. "It cannot be undone," he said quietly.

Thor actually gaped at him in disbelief. "You... Why? Because of spite? Women have declined your attention," he said his tone incredulous.

Loki's eyes flashed dangerously at Thor but he didn't seem to notice. Sif did. She put a staying had on Thor's arm.

"Perhaps he did me a service," she joked weakly. "I proved myself worthy, disarming the guards."

Thor blinked at her before a wide smile broke out over his face. "My father will certainly hear of it." He retrieved her helmet and offered it to her. She put it on to cover her baldness.

"Fix what you have done, Loki," she said her voice low and even, her eyes clear green. "Or you will not sleep for fear I will repay you in kind."

Her warning made, she allowed Thor to escort her home. A week later, she woke to a full head of thick raven locks. Her golden hair magically cut, never to regrow, Loki had bartered or begged the dwarves to weave her magical hair, to replace the hair taken from her. It grew as though it were always a part of her and many commented that it suited her well. Perhaps more than her fair hair had, contrasting her pale skin and ever-changing hazel eyes.

Although she remained forever wary of Loki since, she was a touch grateful for his impulsive act. Her fearless assault to reach Loki had earned her a reputation of having great skill in combat and saw to her joining a real fight not a moon after losing her hair.

Who said blondes had more fun? Joining Thor and the Warriors Three, there was never a peaceful moment and certainly no lack of danger or excitement.

And it didn't take long for her to earn respect through all the realms under her own name. Lady Sif, Champion of Asgard.

Now, at Odin's request, she was on her first solo mission to Midgard to capture an escaped prisoner that only she could subdue.

Her life was a seemingly endless campaign of battles and she would not wish it undone, not for all the treasure of Valhalla.


End file.
